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Sunday, April 5, 2015

Prussian Journals: IR 3 at Lobositz

Soldier of IR 3 by Menzel

Dear Reader,

Today, we have another selection from Urkundliche Beiträge. In this selection, another IR 3 NCO describes his experiences at Lobositz. The soldier sent this information home in a letter to his father, dated October 6th, 1756.

On the first of October, a glorious day, God assisted the
Prussian arms, and so I send you this account.
On September 30th, our army marched out of camp at Johnsdorf, and moved
in the area of Lobositz. We left around 12am, without the slightest idea that
the enemy army was so near. At daybreak,
we knew they enemy was not very far from us, because they had already saluted us with some cannon fire.
Our Majesty the King shook out the whole column, consisting of 30,000 men, in
order of battle, and marched out towards the enemy army, which we had heard from
deserters and prisoners consisted of as many as 60,000 men. We met the same (the enemy) in such an
advantageous and cunning posture, that I
felt compelled to make note of the details.

The area in which the enemy stood was a long series of
vineyard slopes, some of which were at certainly twice as tall as the so-called
"red tower," in Halle. In
these vineyard slopes, there were collections of raised stone walls, behind which 4,000 Pandours and Hungarian
Infantry had taken cover. Along the top of these ridges, their whole army had
taken up position, with strong right and left wings, with many heavy guns in
prepared positions. A second line was positioned in hollow ditches, which the
whole line could use to protected themselves if they were forced to retire. They
had an astonishing amount of artillery standing before them, and their army seemed
as well situated as could be thought, that it seemed impossible to evict them
from such an awesome position.

All this notwithstanding, our Majesty the King decided to
attack this position. Accordingly, about 7:30am, our cannons began to play at
the vineyards. The dreadful heights prevented our guns from having the desired
effects. Now, as our army, in its advance, approached the vineyards, the
Pandours and infantry behind the stone walls poured a veritable hail of bullets
on us, they threw their guns over their shoulders, and scrambled like cats up the
mountain. We advanced at once without being led astray, behind them up the
slopes. This whole time, we were forced, without returning fire, to endure an
unbearable cannon fire. However, we finally advanced under their guns and
ascended the slope, and then we saw the whole enemy cavalry in front of us, and
they prepared to hew at us. But our cavalry, which came up from our second
line, counter-charged the enemy cavalry. The Austrians, seeing this: that our
cavalry was advancing on them hotly, retired in good order behind their cannons
and strongpoints.

By this strategy, the lead elements of our cavalry came in danger,
as the enemy artillery received them
with canister loaded. As a result, they had to withdraw behind our infantry
screen. Then our infantry advanced, heedless of danger, in such a way that they
fled out of their ditches. This was the beginning of our happy success. Their
infantry had sat down, in order to see the cavalry of both sides attacking each
other, and in what ditches remained, they awaited us. The enemy cavalry, seeing
that our infantry would be advanced again, retired as before. Our cavalry, did
not sit idly by, but made for the infantry, and for the second time advanced
beyond us. They advanced heartily in good order, and the whole enemy force was
thrown into the greatest angst and confusion, and was forced to quit the field:
a sign of our perfect victory. This
battle, as long as the world stands, will not be surpassed in bravery or
length.

While our NCO might seem to have a flair for the melodramatic, he records some useful experiences.